Method and apparatus for forming composite piles



H. R. SMITH Dec. 6, 1932.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING COMPOSITE FILES Filed June 20. 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTOI RNEYS 6,1932. 1,890,268 METHOD ANDAPPARATUS FOR FORMING COMPOSITE FILES H R. SMITH Filed June 20. 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTbRNEYu' Patented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES."

. PILE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY Mmnon ANDAPPARATUS ron ronmine'ooivrrosirn r'ILns Application filed June 20,

i This invention pertains to the manufacture of composite piles of thetype in which a pro-formed lower pile section is sur mounted by acast-in-place upper concrete section. v

In one method of manufacture the lower section is driven until its upperend approaches ground level, then a corrugated shell is mounted on thehead of the lower section, after which the lower section and shell aresunk further by means of a core resting on the head of the lower sectionand engaging the interior walls of the shell by radially movable padsadaptedto engage the shell corrugations.

In orderto withstand the strains imposed on the shell by the drivingcore, and thesevere abrasion to whichthe shell is, subjected by contactwith the ground through which itis driven, it has been found desirableto make the shell of comparatively thick metal. 7

According to the present invention the shell is enclosed during thedriving operation in a temporary casing which prevents contact of theshell with the ground, thereby obviating the necessity of drawingtheshell down by means of a core. Because theshell is relieved of alldriving strains it may be made of much lighter gauge metal thanformerly. For instance, under certain circumstances it has been foundpossible to reduce the metal thickness from to 24: gauge. The shell isattached to the lower pile section in any suitable manner and the lowersecq tion is driven by a follower resting on the head of the lowersection within the shell. The temporary casing is driven with the fol:

lower and the permanent shell, between the temporary casing and thefollower, simply follows the lower section down by gravity.

If desired, suficient space maybe provided between the follower and thetemporary casing to accommodate shells of different sizes,

whereby the same apparatus may be used for sinking shells of differentdiameters, which cannot be done when the shells are driven bycores,'because each core is suitable for only one particular size ofshell. This feature often leads to important savings in cost of V -Fig.l shows the parts during operation with the boot cupped around the 4i931. Serial no. 545726.

manufacture, especially when the piles are formed at a place distantfrom the place of manufacture of the shells; Ifshells of asinglediameterare used, they cannot be nested. Y

in shipment and the freight charges are excessive inrrelation tothetotal cost of the job. If, on the other hand, shells of various,diameterare used, freight is kept down,'but, since by-previous methods,each particular diameter of shell requires a driving core of its own,and since the cost of collapsible cores is HERMAN B. SMITH, orDOUGLASTON, new YORK, ASSIGNOR 'ro RAYMON oononn'rn pensive equipmentbut only a'follower and l a tubular casing, both simple and inexpensive; I The apparatus will'sink shells of' 'variousdiameters, thereforethe shells may be nested I for shipment; In, actual practice three sizesof nestable shells have been driven with the. same apparatus. y

Further and otherobjects and'advantages V will be apparent fromvthespecification and claims, and from the accompanying drawings whichillustrate" what is now considered; the preferred embodiment of theinvention.

f Fig. 1 vshows a wooden pile driven until its head is near groundlevel, the head being adapted-for the wedge-ringtype of, connec tion tothe shell.

Fig. 2 shows thewedge-'ring, shell, cou- I pli'ng-ring," follower, bootand drive casingbefore the ,wedgering is pushed home.

Fig.1'3 is similar to Fig. 2except thatthe Wedge-ring has locked thecoupling "to the lower section.

lower end of the drive casing.

. Fig.6 shows the completed pile after-the 'lowerpilesectiona a a For"the purpose of illustration the inventionis shown-in Figs. 1. to '6',appliedto a the driving slightly "modified I wooden lower section havinga head adapted for use of a wedge-ring for locking the upper shellcoupling to the lower section. A modrugated shell 20 annular plate 22 isplaced around the lower .end of coupling, 18; follower 24 is loweredinto place within-shell 20 until the rim 26 of its lower counterb'oredend rests on wedge-ring 16; and the outer temporary. casing 28 is.placed around shell 20. QThe parts are thenin the positions shown inFig. 2.. Next, the follower 24 and casing 28 are driven to the positionsshown in Fig. 3, inwhich wedge-ring 16 has beenforced downwardly intoshoulder 14 to expand a portion thereof into engagement withthe taperedlower end of coupling 18, thereby locking the coupling (andconsequentl-y Shell 20) to the lower ipflesectioni follower 24 rests onthe top often on 1 2; and

the lower end of casing 28 contacts'with.

ring 22.

A l Furtherdriving forces the parts intothe '3 ground 'as in Fig. 4 withall parts in the same positions as in Fig.3 except that'passagethrough'the ground has, forced the outer rim ofplate 22 into acup-shaped bootformation' aroundthe lower end of casing 28 therebyserving to exclude "dirt 1 from the space between shell 20 and casing-28.

Fig. 5 shows the pile after has been driven to proper footing; afterfollower- 24 and. casing 28 have been removed; after shell has beenfilled with "concrete '30 ;'and after the Surrounding th has closedaround the pper pile section. I V

i In Fig. 6 are shown,- in "enlarged form, ,most ofthe details mentionedabove. ,Cou-

pling sleeve 18 is shown as threaded onto shell 20,1but it may of coursebe fastened thereto by welding or otherwise. In Fig.

. 6 the fact is brought out that there is sulfi- Q-(fdotted) of greaterdiameter than shell 20,

I shell being used. V

1 --Fig.7 shows the invention 'appliedttoa I cien't space between theexterior. of follower 24 and. the interior of f temporary casing 28 toaccommodate at leastthree diameters of nestable shells; for, instance .ashell 32, (dotted) of lesser diameter, andfa shell any of which may bedriven by the same apparatus, the only. necessary change being toprovide a coupling l8'having an upper engage the particular end ofproper shape to concrete lower section instead of to a wooden lowersection as described above. The lower section is of square concrete 36,having, a,

tenon 38 formed by casting it in a helically corrugated sleeve40 whichremains onrthe tenon to receive the lower end of acoupling '42 adaptedat its upper end for attachment to the lower end of a shell such as44,46 i

or 48. A follower 50 servesto' drive the lower precast section. Thisembodiment serves to illustrate the fact that under some conditions ofsoil, etc, boot plate 22 may be omitted because the soil; will not-enterthe space between shell and casing sufficiently to do any harm. 7

It is to be understood not-limited to the specific embodiment herein.

illustrated and. described, but may I be used in other ways without"departure from spirit as defined by the following claims. 5"

Iclaimza g 1. Apparatus for sinking into the ground a preformed lowerpile section havinga com plete upper pile shell permanently attachedthereto in which an upper concrete pile section is'to be cast in situ,comprising means for driving said lower section whereby said section andsaid shell are sunk into the ground, in combination with a temporarycasing surrounding said shell and driven simul 'taneously therewith,said temporarycasing serving to protect the shell} in driving andadapted. to be withdrawn after driving of the shell;

.- '2. The invention set forth which means is provided for .closingthespace between saidshell and the bottom of said temporary casing toprevent entrance of earth therebetween during driving. p y

I 3. Apparatus for sinking into the ground a pre-iormed lower pilesection having acomplete uppert pile gshellperm-anently attached theretoin which an upper concrete pile sec tion is to be cast in situ,'comprising-,-in combination, a follower within the shell and atemporary casing without the shell, said folsaid shell from contact withthe ground during the driving operation and to be withdrawn afterdriving of the'sh'ell.

lower and said casing being adapted for driv- I ,ing simultaneously,said follower serving'to sink the lower section and shell into theground and said casing servingto protect* The invention set forth in-claim3 in M which an annular plate below forms, during the drivingoperation; acupshaped bootaround the lower end of said casing toprevententr'ance of earth between said shell and said casing. v I v Y5(In the method of forming a comipos-ite pile shell to the upper. end ofa pre-formed lower pilesection, sinking'said lower section and saidshell into the groundand surround,

ing said shell with a casing to prevent con- 12:; 7 pile, the steps ofatta'ching a.completelupper' i I that the invent ion' is .8 I

driving operation.

6. In the method of forming a composite pile, the steps of attaching acomplete upper pile shell to the upper end of a pre-formed lower pilesection, sinking said lower section and said shell into the ground,surrounding said shell with a casing to prevent contact of said shellwith the ground during the driving operation and filling said shell withconcrete to form the upper pile section.

7. In the method of forming a composite pile, the steps of attaching acomplete upper pile shell to the upper end of a pre-formed lower pilesection, sinking said lower section and said shell into the ground,surrounding said shell with a casing to prevent contact of said shellwith the ground during the driving I r a a complete upper pile shellattached to its operationand removing said casing.

8. In the method of forming a composite pile, the steps of attaching acomplete upper pile shell to the upper end of a pre-formed lower pilesection, sinking said lower section and said shell into the ground,surrounding said shell with a casing to prevent contact of said shellwith the ground during the driving operation, removing said casing, andfilling said shell with concreteto form the upper pile section.

9. Apparatus for sinking into the ground a preformed lower pile sectionadapted to have a complete upper pile shell of one of variouspredetermined diameters attached thereto in which an upper concrete pilesec- 7 tion is to be cast in situ, comprising a follower for drivingsaid lower section whereby: said section and said selected shell are suninto the ground, in combination with a temporary casing surrounding saidselected shell,

said casing being adapted to be driven simultaneously with saidfollower, substantially as described.

10. The method of forming a composite pile which comprises driving apreformed lower pile section with a thin complete upper pile shellpermanently attached to its upper end to be subsequently filled withconcrete, and providing protecting means for preventing contact of suchshell with the ground during driving. I

11. The method of forming a composite pile which comprises driving apreformed lower pile section into the ground, with a thin complete upperpile shell permanently ing protecting means for preventing contact ofthe shell with the ground during driving and subsequently filling theshell with concrete.

12. The method of forming a composite pile which comprises driving apreformed lower pile section into the ground with a thincomplete upperpile shell permanently attached to the upper end thereof, providingprotecting means for the shell to prevent contact with the ground duringdriving, subsequently filling the shell with concrete, and then with-ldrawing the shell protection to permit the surrounding ground to contactwith the shell. 13. The method of forming a composite pile whichcomprises driving a preformed lower pile section into the ground, with athin complete upper pile shell attached to the upper end thereof,simultaneously driving a casing surrounding the shell to protect thesame against contact with the ground during driving, subsequentlyfilling the shell with concrete and then withdrawing the casing topermit the surrounding ground to contact with the shell; l

I 14. The method vof forming a composite pile which comprises driving apreformed lower pile section into the ground, with a. thin upper endthereof, surrounding the shell with a protecting casing and driving saidcasing 7 simultaneously with the preformed section nature. I

HERMAN B. SMITH.

attached to the upper end thereof, provid-

